Swimming device



W. A. HOEKSTA 1,770,472

SWIMMING DEVI GE July l5, 1930.

. Filed March 6, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l July 15, 1930; l W A, HOEKSTRA 1,770,472

SWIMMING DEVICE Filed Maron e, lso 2 sheets-sheet 2 "Ii-E24.

TBL-E2 E pair of hand cranlis to strapped or otherwise secured a. iaonirs'rna, or

vif-'s is GRAND RAPS, MICEIGAN n swnarrrno DEVICE Application 1ed 1!lareh 6,

The invention ainis to provide a rather simple and ineXpensive device with the aid of vwhich persons may propel themselves through the water, simply by operating a drive propellers.

Vwithin two which are against the and it is a The propellers are disposed parallel open-ended cylinders swinnner"s chest and stomach,

E@ further aim to provide a novel construction and relation of parts in which -the cylinders act as supports for a hand-driven drive shaft, and in which gearing connecting said drive shaft with thepropeller shafts, is housed totally within the cylinders.

A further aim of the invention is to provide an exceptionally simple and inexpensive cylinder construction which is elfectively braced so that the two cylinders remain in fixed relation.

With the foregoing in view, the invention resides in the novel subject matter hereinafter described and claimed, description being accomplished by reference to the ac- ;J eornnan 7ino' drawin s.

is.; as preferred.. with the understanding that within the scope of the invention as claimed,

' variations may be made.

The numerals 6V denote two parallellongitudinal open-ended cylinders yforined by bending a ingle metal sheet in substantially shape and securing its ends 7 tok its interr mediate portion 8, for instance by rivets 9. At its front and'rear ends, the portion 8 is provided with openings 10 and ll'respective- 5 ly, through which front and rear transverse bars 12 and 13 pass, the ends of said bars being secured at 14 to the outer wall portions of the cylinders 6,' opposite the portion 8. VThis anchorage of the bars 12 and 13 maybe "J' edected by providing them with reduced 195e serial no. 433,?44.

studs passing through openings in the cylinder walls, the studs being either upset or provided with nuts.

. The 'bars 12 and 13 are provided with bearings 15 disposed centrally of the cylinders 6, and two longitudinal propeller shafts 16 ar rotatably mounted in these hearings, each of these shafts being provided with two pro pellers y17 and with a pinion 18.

Between its ends, the portion 8 is formed with a. bearing opening 19 and the opposed portions of the two cylind walls are formed withl bearing openings20, the three openings 19 and 20 being alined transversely of the -c linders. A drive shaft 21 asses rotatabl through the openings 19 and 2O and is provided at its ends with hand cranks 22. This shaft carries two largey gears 23 which are confined within the cylinders 6 and mesh with the pinions 18. Rotation of shaft 21 by means of the cranks 22, causes driving of the shafts 16 and their vpropellers 17, and the gears 23V disposed vertically in the cylinders 6, preventl the water from being violently whirled circumferentially of said cylinders,l thus allowing Vthe propellers to act with less slippage than would otherwise take place.

The top portionsA of the cylinders 6 are tied together by a chest plate 24 secured by rivets or the like thereto,said chest plate project ing forwardly from said cylinders. The lower vfront portions or other desired portions of the cylinders 6 are tied together byv a rudder supporti 25 upon which an appropriate rudder 26 .is mounted. rfhis rudder is provided with a. lateral operating arm V27 to which a handactuatedrod 28 is pivoted, said rodbeing slidable through a guide 29 carried by the outer side of one ofthe cylinders 6. Y By tying the iupperV port-ions of the cylinders G together with the chest plate 24 and by tying their lower portions together with the rudder support 25, said cylinders are main-v tained in rigid relation, even though they be formed by bending a single piece of sheet metal as above described. A f The; device Vmay be attached to the body in any desired way. Preferably however', IV provide the cylinders 6 with a suitable number of loops 30' or the like, throughwhich vto ass a waist or body-encircling strap 31. The device is of such size that it may be conveniently carried and operated, and by its use, the swimmer may propel himself rapidly through the water in any desired directionor directions.

While the details disclosed may be followed if desired, attention is again invited to the fact that within the scope of the invention as claimed, variations may be made.

I claim 1. In a swimming device, two parallel open-ended cylinders joined to each other at their inner longitudinal sides, a chest plate extending between the top portions of said cylinders and secured thereto, a rudder support extending between and secured to the lower portions of said cylinders, propellers mounted in said cylinders, a rudder mounted on said support, means for driving said propellers, and means for operating said rudder,

2. In a swimming device, a pair of parallel cylinders open at both ends and having central bearings at said ends, the sides of said cylinders being also provided with transverse alined bearings between their ends, two lon- 'tudinal shafts disposed in said cylinders and rotatably mounted in said central bearings, said shafts being provided with prope lers and with pinions all disposed within said cylinders, and a transverse drive shaft Eeassing rotatably through said transverse arings and having hand cranks at its ends, said drive shaft being provided with two gears within said cylinders respectively and meshing with said pinions. Y

3. In a swimming device, a pair of parallel cylinders open at both ends and having transverse bearings between their ends, a front and a. rear transverse bar spanning and secured to the front and rear ends of said cylinders respectively, said bars having bearings disposed centrally of said cylinders, two longitudinal shafts disposed in said cylinders and rotatably mounted in said central bearings, said shafts being provided with propellers and with pinions all disposed within said cylinders, and a transverse drive shaft passing roi tatably through said transverse bearings and having hand cranks at its ends, said drive shaft bein provided with two gears within said cylinc ers respectively and meshing wi'n Said pinions.

4. In a swimming device, a sheet of metal bent into substantially S shape and having its ends secured to its intermediate portion to provide two rigidly joined parallel cylinders, Propellers mounted in said cylinders, and driving means for said propellers.

\ 5. In a swimming device, a sheet of metal bent into substantially S shape and having its ends `secured to its intermediate portion. to provide two rigidly joined parallel cylinders,

` the front and rear ends of said intermediate portion having bar-receiving openings, said intermediate portions and the opposed p ortions of the cylinder walls being formed w1th alined bearing openings between the ends of fixed my signature.

WILLIAM A HOEKSTRA.

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